The Donnie Project: Rowan University Students Working On Unsolved Murder Case
By Robin Rieger
GLASSBORO, N.J. (CBS) -- Nineteen-year-old Donald Farrell was a sophomore at Rowan University when he was attacked on campus October 27, 2007.
Police say he was robbed and fatally beaten by a man seen on surveillance video in a nearby convenience store. Despite the video, an investigation and a $100,000 reward, the case remains unsolved.
"There's a killer out there, walking free," said Amy Quinn.
Quinn is an adjunct professor at Rowan University and this fall, she gave her journalism students a special assignment.
"Tell me a story about Donald Farrell," she said she told them.
Students wrote articles for a website they created called thedonnieproject.com. They interviewed Farrell's family, friends and investigators in an effort to generate new leads.
"I ran it like a newsroom, where I gave them assignments and they were doing reporting and we were self-editing", says Quinn.
Kathy Farrell told Eyewitness News by phone she was proud of the students' work.
"They took on a really big task, and did an excellent, very professional job. It was hard on them and it was hard on us", said Farrell, Donald's mother.
She says everyday is still a struggle.
"He was my beautiful boy and he was the light of my life."
Mrs. Farrell says she hopes the website touches the right person.
"Somebody has to have a heart somewhere to say the guy has to be turned in."
Anyone with information is asked to visit thedonnieproject.com for information about the investigation.